2014 MBB Non-Conference Sched

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Let the speculation begin.

[Duvall]

Let the speculation begin.

Odd that Duke could easily go through an entire conference schedule and only play two teams from power conferences.

At Wisconsin should be very tough.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Too bad that CTC isn't on a football weekend. Looking forward to November 18th; that is going to be a crazy sports week. Football at home against the Hokies on the 15th, against Michigan State in BBall on the 18th, and then the Thursday night home game against the Heels on the 20th. Whew!!

Edit...just saw the next two games... add both Temple and Stanford or UNLV in back to back games on the 21st and 22nd. Double Whew!!!

[Henderson]

Too bad that CTC isn't on a football weekend. Looking forward to November 18th; that is going to be a crazy sports week. Football at home against the Hokies on the 15th, against Michigan State in BBall on the 18th, and then the Thursday night home game against the Heels on the 20th. Whew!!

I'm already planning my trip to Durham the weekend of November 14/15. Two basketball games and a football game. Haven't been to WW or Cameron since Jimmy Carter was president, but it's a west coast thing, and it's time. Hope to see some of you nice folks while I'm there.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I'm already planning my trip to Durham the weekend of November 14/15. Two basketball games and a football game. Haven't been to WW or Cameron since Jimmy Carter was president, but it's a west coast thing, and it's time. Hope to see some of you nice folks while I'm there.

We'll have the grill fired up on Devil's Alley. We'll be smoking turkeys on the field, but not at the tailgate; too close to Thanksgiving.

[hurleyfor3]

Edit...just saw the next two games... add both Temple and Stanford or UNLV in back to back games on the 21st and 22nd. Double Whew!!!

Unlv would be the first time since the 1991 semifinal, right?

Odd that Duke could easily go through an entire conference schedule and only play two teams from power conferences.

Depending on what a "power conference" is, I count as many as five. No wait, six, Temple's in the UConn conference.

[Olympic Fan]

Odd that Duke could easily go through an entire conference schedule and only play two teams from power conferences.

Did you mean "non-conference"? (hey, not ripping you ... I make the same kind of mental boo-boo ... just Monday, I confused Milwaukee and Minnesota in a baseball thread).

By my count, we play a minimum of 18 games against teams from the power conferences ... maybe 19 (depending on whether we get Stanford or UNLV). Add 1-3 more from the ACC Tournament and we'll be in the 20s.

But in basketball, that's a pretty arbitrary measure anyway. This isn't football, where there is a big difference in playing the Big 5 and the other conferences. UConn is not in a power conference, but they happen to be the defending national champs. Over the last five years, conferences such as the Mountain West and Missouri Valley have finished as stronger-rated conferences than at least one of the so-called power conferences in individual seasons. Last year, the weakened Big East (with 2014-15 opponent St. John's) was rated higher than the SEC by Pomeroy.

On a different tack, I think the schedule works out well during the football/basketball overlap.

I like that Countdown to Craziness comes on a Saturday without a football game.

The only real conflict is Nov. 15 when we have a home football game with Virginia Tech and a basketball game with Fairfield ... I know the kickoff time is not set for the VPI game, but I'm sure that the powers that be will adjust the basketball start time to avoid a conflict. Here's a question -- we play Presbyterian on Friday night ... if the football game gets picked up for a Saturday night slot (it could be that important), then would they ask the basketball team to play Saturday afternoon?

Other than that, no problem -- we play Central Missouri in a hoops exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 8 -- the same day we play at Syracuse in football ... I hope the times don't overlap. Probably not -- that one is almost certainly an afternoon football game and the exhibition will be at night.

Exciting stretch Nov. 20-22 ... Thursday night football against UNC, Friday night hoops in the Garden against Temple and Saturday night hoops in the Garden against Stanford or UNLV.

No basketball game on Saturday the 29th, when we close the football season with Wake in Wade, but we get Army at home Sunday in hoops.

It works out well...

BTW: I'm pretty sure (but not positive) the Coaches vs. Cancer event is one of those early season tournaments with the final four locked in, no matter what happens in the preliminary games. So even if Presbyterian or Fairfield pulls the miracle (hey, Vermont almost did last year) Duke still goes to New York.

[CameronBornAndBred]

The only real conflict is Nov. 15 when we have a home football game with Virginia Tech and a basketball game with Fairfield ... I know the kickoff time is not set for the VPI game, but I'm sure that the powers that be will adjust the basketball start time to avoid a conflict. Here's a question -- we play Presbyterian on Friday night ... if the football game gets picked up for a Saturday night slot (it could be that important), then would they ask the basketball team to play Saturday afternoon?

Ugh...either way, how are they going to handle parking? That is going to be interesting. My guess is that Duke will press for a noon KO and a 7pm tip.

[Coballs]

Those Coaches Versus Cancer games against Temple and Stanford/UNLV are at the Barclays Center, not the Garden.

Exciting stretch Nov. 20-22 ... Thursday night football against UNC, Friday night hoops in the Garden against Temple and Saturday night hoops in the Garden against Stanford or UNLV.

[Duvall]

Ugh...either way, how are they going to handle parking?

Like all Duke parking issues next year, my guess is that the answer will be "badly."

[buddy]

This is the weakest non-conference HOME schedule I can remember. Really, is there a single one of the HOME games that anyone would camp out for? Not a single power conference game. Not even a significant mid-major contest. Stub Hub is going to do a land office business in November and December games. Any of these games that we don't win by 15 will be a real disappointment.

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

This is the weakest non-conference HOME schedule I can remember. Really, is there a single one of the HOME games that anyone would camp out for? Not a single power conference game. Not even a significant mid-major contest. Stub Hub is going to do a land office business in November and December games. Any of these games that we don't win by 15 will be a real disappointment.

Wofford was an NCAA tournament team last season (lost in round of 64; same as Duke). Toledo played in post-season NIT.

[uh_no]

Wofford was an NCAA tournament team last season (lost in round of 64; same as Duke). Toledo played in post-season NIT.

still not games that will get the students particularly pumped up, unfortunately

[CDu]

still not games that will get the students particularly pumped up, unfortunately

Well, most of the students will be gone for those two games (Dec 29 and Dec 31).

I'd say it is a non-conference schedule roughly in line with our usual non-conference schedules. We do still have neutral site games against Michigan State, UConn (remains to be seen how good they'll actually be though), and one of Stanford/UNLV, and we have a VERY tough road game at Wisconsin. It's just that our tournament this year doesn't have any marquee names. And Temple (neutral site) and at St John's aren't jokes either.

It's by no means a murderer's row of matchups, but it's far from awful.

[pfrduke]

Well, most of the students will be gone for those two games (Dec 29 and Dec 31).

I'd say it is a non-conference schedule roughly in line with our usual non-conference schedules. We do still have neutral site games against Michigan State, UConn (remains to be seen how good they'll actually be though), and one of Stanford/UNLV, and we have a VERY tough road game at Wisconsin. It's just that our tournament this year doesn't have any marquee names. And Temple (neutral site) and at St John's aren't jokes either.

It's by no means a murderer's row of matchups, but it's far from awful.

I don't know a ton about Temple's current roster construction or what may have contributed to their performance last season, but the Owls are coming off of a 9-22 year. Unless they added significant talent (either recruits or people coming back from injuries) or their existing players experience significant growth, that should not be a game that does much for our strength of schedule.

[buddy]

Well, most of the students will be gone for those two games (Dec 29 and Dec 31).

I'd say it is a non-conference schedule roughly in line with our usual non-conference schedules. We do still have neutral site games against Michigan State, UConn (remains to be seen how good they'll actually be though), and one of Stanford/UNLV, and we have a VERY tough road game at Wisconsin. It's just that our tournament this year doesn't have any marquee names. And Temple (neutral site) and at St John's aren't jokes either.

It's by no means a murderer's row of matchups, but it's far from awful.

The NON-CONFERENCE schedule, taken as a whole, is fairly similar to our normal schedule, with very interesting games against Wisconsin, Michigan State, UConn, St. John's, Temple, and Stanford/UNLV. My point was that NONE of them are in Cameron. Not a home schedule to get the juices flowing. Expect half empty student sections and quiet upstairs. For those of us who actually pay the freight this is an uninspiring line-up of home games. Saying that Wofford is the biggest non-conference home game makes my point. But at least we are a football school now.

[Dev11]

I suppose we're countering the usual hate about how we feast on home cooking to fortify our ranking before conference play starts. That probably won't be the case this year, with those tough neutrals and roads all over the non-conference schedule.

[Olympic Fan]

I suppose we're countering the usual hate about how we feast on home cooking to fortify our ranking before conference play starts. That probably won't be the case this year, with those tough neutrals and roads all over the non-conference schedule.

But I've already read on rival boards -- the only non-conference road games we play are the ACC/Big 10 Challenge and in a pro arena (St. John's in the Garden). To the haters, neither of those count.

[CDu]

I suppose we're countering the usual hate about how we feast on home cooking to fortify our ranking before conference play starts. That probably won't be the case this year, with those tough neutrals and roads all over the non-conference schedule.

Right. When we play good teams at home, there are folks on DBR who complain that we don't play any tough road games out of conference. This year, our tough games are all neutral site or road games, and there are now folks on DBR (not necessarily the same folks; likely not, actually) who are complaining that we aren't scheduling exciting home games. Duke can't win either way.

[Wander]

Right. When we play good teams at home, there are folks on DBR who complain that we don't play any tough road games out of conference. This year, our tough games are all neutral site or road games, and there are now folks on DBR (not necessarily the same folks; likely not, actually) who are complaining that we aren't scheduling exciting home games. Duke can't win either way.

My completely selfish fan perspective is that I think neutral site games are generally pretty lame, and we've had a bunch of neutral site games throughout the years. I understand the various reasons why they're scheduled and don't fault K for doing it, but I still think true home/away series are just more fun. We're hardly the only school that schedules like this, but there are powerhouses - like our two least favorite teams, UNC and Kentucky - that have cooler home/away series than we do. Again, this isn't from a "our schedule isn't hard enough" (we ALWAYS have a great strength of schedule) perspective.